PLoS ONE (Jan 2017)

Mid-infrared spectroscopy of serum, a promising non-invasive method to assess prognosis in patients with ascites and cirrhosis.

  • Maëna Le Corvec,
  • Caroline Jezequel,
  • Valérie Monbet,
  • Nadia Fatih,
  • Frédéric Charpentier,
  • Hugues Tariel,
  • Catherine Boussard-Plédel,
  • Bruno Bureau,
  • Olivier Loréal,
  • Olivier Sire,
  • Edouard Bardou-Jacquet

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0185997
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 10
p. e0185997

Abstract

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Prognostic tests are critical in the management of patients with cirrhosis and ascites. Biological tests or scores perform poorly in that situation. Mid-infrared fibre evanescent wave spectroscopy (MIR-FEWS) which allows for global serum metabolic profiling may provide more relevant information by measuring a wider range of metabolic parameters in serum. Here we present the accuracy of a MIR-FEWS based predictive model for the prognosis of 6 months survival in patients with ascites and cirrhosis.Patients with ascites were prospectively included and followed up for 6 months. MIR-FEWS spectra were measured in serum samples. The most informative spectral variables obtained by MIR-FEWS were selected by FADA algorithm and then used to build the MIR model. Accuracy of this model was assessed by ROC curves and 90%/10% Monte Carlo cross-validation. MIR model accuracy for 6 months survival was compared to that of the Child-Pugh and MELD scores.119 patients were included. The mean age was 57.36±13.70, the MELD score was 16.32±6.26, and the Child-Pugh score was 9.5±1.83. During follow-up, 23 patients died (20%). The MIR model had an AUROC for 6 months mortality of 0.90 (CI95: 0.88-0.91), the MELD 0.77 (CI95: 0.66-0.89) and Child-Pugh 0.76 (CI95: 0.66-0.88). MELD and Child-Pugh AUROCs were significantly lower than that of the MIR model (p = 0.02 and p = 0.02 respectively). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that MELD (p<0.05, OR:0.86;CI95:0.76-0.97), Beta blockers (p = 0.036;OR:0.20;CI95:0.04-0.90), and the MIR model (p<0.001; OR:0.50; CI95:0.37-0.66), were significantly associated with 6 months mortality.In this pilot study MIR-FEWS more accurately assess the 6-month prognosis of patients with ascites and cirrhosis than the MELD or Child-Pugh scores. These promising results, if confirmed by a larger study, suggest that mid infrared spectroscopy could be helpful in the management of these patients.